title: Patients highly value routine follow-up of skin cancer and cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin cancer follow-up is a substantial burden to outpatient clinics. Few studies have investigated patients' views on skin cancer follow-up and cutaneous melanoma. The objective was to investigate patients' perceived benefits and the impact of follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included an open sample of patients attending routine follow-up at the outpatient Departments of Plastic Surgery and Dermatology, Roskilde Hospital. A total of 218 follow-up patients diagnosed with cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM), non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) or actinic keratosis (AK) completed a structured interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 97% patients found follow-up useful. Continuity and consistency were important. One third of patients felt some degree of pre follow-up anxiety. The number of anxious MM patients was significantly greater than that of NMSC patients. No significant difference was found between the number of anxious MM and AK patients. Female gender, cohabitation and age younger than 50 years were associated with increased levels of anxiety. No relation was found between the number of anxious patients or the level of anxiety and the duration of the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of patients who attended found that the follow-up had been useful. Certain demographic characteristics were associated with higher levels of anxiety and may be addressed by supportive efforts targeting these groups.
authors.affiliation: Dermatologisk Afdeling, Roskilde Hospital, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark. lotte.themstrup@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lotte
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Themstrup
authors.forename: Gregor E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Jemec
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lock-Andersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011379:Prognosis; D055502:Secondary Prevention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult